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Sant'Agata Li Battiati

Rifugio Sapienza Parking – Sapienza Hut loop from Gravina di Catania

Sant'Agata Li Battiati

Rifugio Sapienza Parking – Sapienza Hut loop from Gravina di Catania

Hard

3.8

(20)

309

riders

Rifugio Sapienza Parking – Sapienza Hut loop from Gravina di Catania

03:38

60.1km

1,620m

Road cycling

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 9, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Parco dell'Etna

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

10.8 km

Nicolosi

Highlight • Settlement

After leaving the raging traffic of Catania behind, Nicolosi is the first town to reach and the town is very sizeable. As usual around the Etna, the main street is paved with black and quite rough lava planks. If the bottles have already been empty, here is another great opportunity to fill them, if you want to continue towards Refugio Sapienza - on the lava fields you will search for springs and wells in vain.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

15.8 km

Silvestri Craters

Highlight • Volcano

The keyway for the descent must not be missing ;-)

Translated by Google •

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17.6 km

Ascent Through Mount Etna's Lava Fields

Highlight (Segment) • Volcano

The driveway coming from Nicolosi, up to the valley station of the Etna cable car is something very special. Dark lava fields from which plants seek their place. A worthwhile driveway, which can be perfectly combined with the complete circumnavigation of Etna.

Translated by Google •

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30.0 km

Rifugio Sapienza Parking

Highlight • Parking

30.5 km

View of Mount Etna (east side)

Highlight • Viewpoint

Great view, worth it in any weather

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31.3 km

Sapienza Hut

Highlight • Mountain Hut

The Sapienza refuge is the starting point for climbing the crater of Etna, it is also a very famous place for road cycling, as it hosted the arrival of some stages of the Giro d'Italia.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

32.2 km

Nicolosi–Rifugio Sapienza Climb

Highlight (Segment) • Climb

Length 17 km, difference in altitude 1073 m, average gradient 6.3%.
The Nicolosi-Rifugio Sapienza climb is the most well-known, most traveled climb on the Etna side and the one of the Giro d'Italia stage won by Contador in 2011 (dedicated to him). The road is very panoramic, smooth and well-maintained asphalt that crosses the young lava flow of 2001. It cuts through a sea of magma with the scent of sulfur that accompanies pedal after pedal. The climb begins by leaving the town of Nicolosi, right from a public fountain, and ends at the Sapienza refuge at an altitude of 1910 m above sea level.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

60.1 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

59.3 km

719 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

59.6 km

528 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Monday 25 May

28°C

17°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 8.0 km/h

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Rifugio Sapienza Parking – Sapienza Hut loop from Gravina di Catania

Nicolosi

Silvestri Craters

Ascent Through Mount Etna's Lava Fields

Rifugio Sapienza Parking

View of Mount Etna (east side)

Sapienza Hut

Nicolosi–Rifugio Sapienza Climb

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